Manufactured or Prepared foods are those foods that are non-living and are made by the aquarist or bought already prepared for consumption for fish. Foods are produced in several forms – pellets, flakes, tablets, granules and food sticks. Each type is designed to behave differently in water, float or sink, so as to suit the feeding actions of different fishes. These foods are nutritionally balanced as they constitute various ingredients, plus added vitamins and minerals. Also known as dry foods, these foods come in airtight pots or sachets and can be utilized at will by the aquarist. Nowadays dry foods are more accessible in supermarkets.

Prepared foods have two big drawbacks:
1. Acceptance – young fry of many species prefer living foods to prepared foods.
2. Pollution – uneaten prepared food can quickly pollute the tank.

Pellet Foods

Some pellets float, and are aimed at surface-feeding fishes. These can be easily removed with a net if left uneaten by your fishes. Other types of pellets sink, and are designed for fishes that live at lower levels. Some brands of pellets have both types of pellets in the same pot. The pellets have different densities, meaning some will float, while some sink. These are ideal for a community tank where feeding of different fishes is possible at one go.

Some fishes with smaller mouths may not be able to gob the whole pellet at once. Well you may opt for micropellets, but rest assured about pellets. They soften when in contact with moisture and this helps smaller fishes to bite off small pieces.

Flake Foods

Though there exists nothing in the wild which resembles to flake foods, many captive-bred species have grown a huge appetite for them. Tropical, coldwater and marine fishes all benefit from these delicacies. There are flake formulations for carnivorous, vegetarian and omnivorous fishes. Flakes float at first, then sink slowly, allowing midwater swimmers to eat. Bottom dwelling species consume flake food once it has settled on the bottom.

Like pellets, mixed flakes contain all the necessary nutrients for a balanced meal for your fish. Why mixed? Because there exists other varieties of flakes all differentiated by their colors. Red flakes for instance, are for color enhancing of your fishes. Green flakes are those high in vegetable matter and most of these flakes contain spirulina. Spirulina is a complete protein containing all amino acids. Could you ask for more for your fishes? Green flakes are ideal for mollies and other vegetarian fishes.

But make sure not to overfeed as this can lead to cloudy water.

Tablet Foods

Tablets can be stuck to the glass to give feeding “stations” at different water levels. Drop-in tablets can be dropped onto the gravel for the benefit of bottom-feeding fishes such as catfish and loaches.

Algae Wafers

These are sinking foods designed for algae eating fishes. They have a very high vegetable content and are ideal for low level vegetarians such as plecos.